The information provided on the 211 eLibrary is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal advice.
WHAT IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
Under Connecticut law, family violence (a.k.a. domestic violence) is defined as an incident between family or household members that either results in a physical injury or causes fear that a physical injury is going to happen. Verbal abuse by itself is not considered family violence. For verbal abuse to be considered family violence there must be imminent danger and that physical violence will likely occur. Discipline of children by their parents or guardians is not family violence unless the child is abused. Although there is no separate crime of family violence, certain crimes (for example, assault, kidnapping, and sexual assault) can be charged as a family violence offense. A criminal charge that includes family violence in the charge may be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the case.
For more information on Connecticut Laws and resources, see the Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Libraries website on “Connecticut Law About Domestic Violence”. For additional information and Frequently Asked Questions, go to: https://jud.ct.gov/faq/Domviolence.htm.
HOW TO GET HELP
In Connecticut, there is a statewide network of domestic violence programs that can be reached by calling the statewide domestic violence hotline, 1-888-774-2900 (English); 1-844-831-9200 (Spanish). The programs provide shelter for victims of domestic violence, as well as counseling and other supportive services. Shelter is usually limited to female victims and their children; however, male victims are offered other support services and assistance in locating a safe place to stay. In addition, there is a National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233), which provides domestic violence crisis intervention and referrals to domestic violence service providers throughout the United States.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: The links shown here are to organizations that have more information on domestic violence:
For a summary of Connecticut domestic violence laws, see CT Judicial Branch Law Libraries guide: http://www.jud.ct.gov/lawlib/Notebooks/Pathfinders/DomesticViolence/DomesticViolence.pdf
TEEN DATING VIOLENCE: Dating violence includes psychological and emotional abuse, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. It occurs with casual dating or serious long term relationships. For more information on signs of abuse in your dating relationship and what to do, see the eLibrary paper on Dating Violence/Teen Dating Violence.
TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT’S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE:
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SOURCES: Connecticut Judicial Law Libraries website; United States Department of Justice; National Domestic Violence; Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: June2024